Red Lips & Snake Skin
by RedZinnia
Summary: Her red lips are as dangerous as the informant who craves them. Monsters Ball sequel. Izaya X OC On Hiatus
1. Chapter 1

**Glamor Shot**

Fear melted into perspiration with each jagged collision of her heels against the busted and squalid pavement. Her lips had long parted and her nostrils flared as each breath was a much welcomed rush of oxygen to her overworked heart and adrenaline soaked muscles. The distinct sound of rushing heels were lost in a sea of foot steps and tumbling trash cans that echoed rambunctiously through the normally quiet alleyways. Shouts of warning and angry messages floated up to the night sky, but by the time the words made any sense she had already turned another corner. Perfectly manicured hands reached out to a pair of metal cans earning each palm a new set of small cuts. The thunderous clash of her new road blocks clashing against the slick pavement was becoming a familiar tune.

_Have you ever ran for your life in six inch heels?_

A sheer train of unparalleled euphoria ran through her mind as her onyx colored eyes drowned in the sea of lights and crowded streets that was downtown Ikebukuro. Her petite frame pushed and shoved its way through the mess of tourist and citizens alike, discarding her silver jacket and timeless ponytail along the way. Her aggressors had already lost, they couldn't carry out a hit in such tight spaces.

It was a truly blissful Spring night in the mother place of all mythical events and creatures, a day to celebrate for evil doers all over the city. Her arms rested atop her head and she steadied her breathing with a powerful sigh. She felt a bump on her shoulder and dared a peak to the side as three suited figures made their way past her and through the crowd of tightly knit individuals who didn't even complain as people being chased around town was as natural as Tulips blooming in the spring. Her lips molded into a carmine grin and the raffish night lights became a thing of the past as the elusive woman parted from the crowd as unassumingly as she had joined.

The location was unfamiliar to her but the tall, gray building with a transparent last floor was hard to miss. Unlike regular visitors though, her entrance was through another maze in a surprisingly well kept alleyway and through an intimidating metal plated door. An infinite void of nothingness engulfed her vision and she calibrated her footing as she readied for the journey that awaited. Her bruised left palm pressed tightly against the lrft wall and she could feel the vibration along her legs from each step she took. A steady pulse comprised of obnoxiously loud voices and competing music rattled the walls along the way, a familiar sign that tonight she would be working in a bar. Finally the feel of decaying paint ceased, to be replaced by smooth and polished wood under her fingers. Confidently she knocked using a familiar pattern and waited the designated amount of time before entering the space.

Even without proper lighting, she could tell that the broken wallpaper and chipping paint followed the same pattern as the outside walls. The closet sized space was a claustrophobic's worst nightmare with boxes upon boxes of beer stacked to the ceiling, leaving little space for movement. Bottles of water, and burnt out cigarettes littered the floor, her expensive heels standing out against the grime and dust. Instantly she grimaced at the thought of spending even the first fifteen minutes sitting on the olive green couch that practically begged to be thrown out. She sighed hesitating a moment before giving in to the shooting pains that had taken over her calves after such a grueling exercise. Tiredly she flipped the switch, allowing the powerful light to filter through the black glass door and letting the right people know that Chiba Hisoka had arrived, before quickly turning it back off again.

With a small brush she combed through her long black tresses, doing her best to smooth out the damage done from sweating and running so erratically. Her clients might never see her while she's working, but looking pretty amongst all the garbage that surrounded her somewhat gave her piece of mind.

Her eyes caught a glimpse of a familiar tall shadow and she sighed at the thought of having a customer so quickly. Her slender fingers reached into the tight purse, retrieving a pack of cigarettes, a lighter and her cellphone.

"So the Kyokuto..."

The cigarette almost fumbled out of her mouth as the sound of that voice was the secret ingredient to a quick smile from her. She turned on the voice modifier choosing to be a wise old man for her favorite client. Exhaling a cloud of tainted air into the enclosed space she finally answered. "Has it been a year already my lovely Izaya? By the way congratulations on solving the mystery of the kidnappings!"

The informant didn't take the bait and simply repeated his previous statement. "The Kyokuto."

"What about the Kyokuto my dearest Izaya, there seems to be a lot going on with them these days." She could almost see him tense up through the wall. From the first time he had landed in her circle of services, whatever tone of voice she used on the powerful informant caused his ego to shrink substantially. It was a delectable phenomena that made this game so interesting to play.

"Where's their boss, Matsuyama?" He continued more specifically.

"Well certainly not in Tahiti having a blast with his lover as you might have heard." Her laugh sounded deep and heavy through the device and so she decided to use her natural voice for the next couple of clients. The lass felt her excitement was best served raw. "He's dead," she added pointedly, "and the body's not even cold yet!"

His confidence had returned and the power in his voice was an elixir to her tired body. "You don't say?"

"Outside the Kyokuto you're one of the first to know, so feel free to distribute the information my dear."

Another mushroom shaped cloud of smoke and she finally felt comfortable resting on the old couch, the music that was her favorite clients laugh and a rush of nicotine making and oasis out of a normally drab room. She sighed tapping the stick along the edge of the cushion and letting the excess ash fall out.

"Oh darling Chiba, you've just made my night," he sang. The rasping sound of a chair being pulled back announced that the meeting was over. "Until next year then."

Scarlet lips framed into a knowing smile. "I can assure you, it'll be much sooner than that."

**Authors Note: **Well there goes my goal for 100 reviews before posting the first chapter of the sequel, but I just couldn't help myself! I'm soooooo excited writing this sequel that I already have the outline for 16 chapters AND it's not even done yet. As usual my introductory chapters are obscure but it shall be explained as the story goes on and if you have any questions please feel free to ask. Chapters won't normally be this short.

The story was inspired by ladybug888 who asked me to do a critical analysis on one of her stories which had a mafia theme to it. So I have to thank her from the bottom of my heart because this story probably wouldn't be here if I hadn't helped you with that story :) On that note, this is a mafia themed story which will involve a couple of Japanese mafia groups, the first being the Kyokuto. Wikipedia has a lot of info on these groups so if it helps you understanding the story feel free to look em up. I will of course do my best to make everything easy to understand.

Germanicus thanks a bunch for finishing the story and thanks to everyone who read, reviewed and added Monsters Ball to their favorite. I hope this is to your liking!

Don't forget to leave a review :)


	2. Chapter 2

**Venom**

Emaciated, frigid, little fingers wrapped around her neck obstructing he wind pipe and crushing her jugular. Her skin was flushed, anxiety and fear running their coarse through every pore in her body. The knot in her thin stomach tightened and the once fearless young woman could feel her dinner being pushed up through the same tracks it had descended from. Swarthy eyes opened on queue as the silver doors parted to reveal a boxed space with a single black door. The physical manifestation of her angst seemingly left behind in the cool elevator.

Black, white and red checkered walls welcomed her to the eleventh floor, the obnoxious wallpaper making her feel as if she was inside a nightmare circus. A single, concentrated and powerful sigh was needed to put her trepidations in place. It was much harder being Chiba Hisoka when there was no dark room that she could hide in.

An elegant finger pressed gently sinking the small button and releasing a surprisingly sonorous chime to announce her arrival. The ringing in her sensitive ears distorted the words, but after a couple of seconds her brain managed to process the fact that she had simply received an invitation. Twisting the knob, the young woman walked in confidently, letting her posture and grace mask the small prickles of anxiety that still continued to pester her.

The door behind the dark haired guest closed smoothly and she was immediately swallowed whole by the charming (or what some found intimidating) oasis that her favorite client called home. "My, my, I don't think I've ever had the pleasure of meeting you before." He was just as she had imagined from the pictures and their handful of meetings, a handsome, cocky bastard with a sly smirk and a fetish for the unusual. She smiled quietly, her ardent red shoes gliding softly through the cream colored carpet. If only he knew that just four days ago she was responsible for making him noticeably uncomfortable.

"My name is Emi," she disclosed, that charismatic smile enthralling even her host, "pleased to meet you."

"Just Emi?" He queried noting the absence of a surname. "Most people I know who won't disclose their last name usually mean trouble."

Her hands tied together behind her sequin champagne skirt, her coal eyes carefully taking in her surroundings. "Well if I'm seeking your help I can't be much of a good person now can I?"

Izaya nodded content with the answer and developing a sudden craving to know more about such a rare type of client. "Please have a seat," he urged his guest, removing himself from the comfort of his desk chair. "Would you like some tea?"

Emi was quick to accept the offer to sit, removing her weighty purse and gathering her skirt before taking a seat. "No thank you."

He accompanied her in the small meeting space, taking up the smaller of the two sofas. He watched carefully as the woman adjusted her long hair to fall elegantly over her long sleeved button shirt, paying particular attention to the few items that served as simple yet complimenting accessories to her entire look. It spoke volumes about the type of woman she was and he could already place her into three different types of categories which begged the question. "How exactly did you hear about my services?"

Emi had practiced the answer to that question for days before completely discarding all her fictitious stories. If he was any good at his job he would figure her out in a couple of weeks, even days, and so there was little reason to hide much. "I have connections in the underground," came the simplified response.

"Ah, so does that make you a wife or an escort?" The informant wondered out loud.

"You're worst than Chiba," she chastised frivolously, "but I'm neither."

That left the last possible category. "Then that makes you a daughter," he concluded.

"That's a story for another day," she answered flatly. If she had learned anything about these tactics, it was to nip things before they got big, and he had more than enough information on her already. "I'm here to know about the Kyokuto and what they plan to do now that they acquired such lucrative territory in Russia."

"A curious topic indeed," the older man remarked applauding her choice and he narrowed it down to 7 possible men that could have fathered his client, just from that simple question. She was making this too easy. "But I have to warn you, the payment for such information is steep."

Already prepared to deal with the small obstacle, she retrieved four perfectly assembled stacks of bills and placed them on their shared crystal table. "That should be enough."

Her host didn't even offer more than a glance at the payment, her fluid actions tickling him more than any monetary compensation. Not once had she stuttered, fumbled with her words and for every question he had, a perfectly assembled answer was ready for him. Carefully he leaned to the side, using an elbow on the arm of the sofa to prop himself up. She knew how to deal with informants. That was new. "What the Kyokuto want is simple," he began, "to continue climbing up the power ladder."

"Yes, but what's the point of provoking the Yamaguchi? I mean, they understand that if they go to war, even with the new Russian acquisition they'll get slaughtered." She cleared her throat. "I guess I'll simplify my question, who or what is their secret weapon?" Before he could answer, Emi felt the need to add a bit more. "They obviously don't have it ready, else they would have attacked by now."

Izaya sighed. "They're trying to acquire the Goda group."

"Crap."

"And you know if they do, that's enough to put up a fight against the number one Yakuza group in the country, is it not?"

Two acquisitions in one year? That was unheard of, specially for such small group. She had already heard the theory from a reliable source, but now to hear it from the Kyokuto's golden boy... Well there was no doubts about it. "But now with the death of Matsuyama, negotiations will surely take a seat in the back while they look for a new leader."

"I'll pay you anything to stop that merger."

It startled even Izaya who was already preparing himself for possible questions he thought she was sure to ask. This proposition though, was delectably unusual, and his smile couldn't help but widen. "And now why would I do that? I'm actually looking forward to this war. The Kyokuto have their headquarters in Ikebukuro and I've been looking for a good war in that city." She was visibly perplexed and for the first time her cool demeanor seemed to falter. Success. "I can't go against the Norse Gods that have extended such a gracious invitation for me to join them in Valhalla. With this war, they practically gave me a map and key."

Emi failed to see the connection between Norse mythology and the impending disaster that would be an all out war between rivaling gangs that would kill hundreds if not thousands. "As the most trusted informant for the Kyokuto," she tried again doing her best to surpass his oddball comments, "there is no one better than you to bring out all the dirty secrets that the Goda have that wouldn't benefit the Kyokuto or vice versa, I personally don't care. If this merger is the catalyst that will set off this war, then I cannot allow it."

Even though as a Chiba Hisoka she had more than enough access to all these gangs and their dirty laundry, going through thousands of folders would take her months alone. At least with Izaya by her side, she could know exactly what the Kyokuto planned and her searches could be that much sharper. And Emi couldn't ignore the fact that having a masterful informant such as him would make the job that much smoother.

"My apologies, but I must refuse. Unless of course you know of a way to wake up a Dullahan's head."

A desperate sigh flowed from her lips and she decided that there simply was no more time to waste. If negotiations were stalled now, then it was their chance to dig up the dirt. Swiftly she reached in to her bag, retrieving the last envelope she had prepared and gently placed it next to the money. It was sad that she would have to do it the hard way, and even sadder because he truly was her favorite client.

"Hideki Morioka, a trusted weapons dealer for the Inagawa group and Nobuo Watanabe an old friend and newly accepted member of the Yamaguchi group both mysteriously vanished." Playtime was over. "And I have a theory that they each met their end inside an enclosed cave filled with rats who ate each men alive."

His look melted into an icy glare that raised goosebumps under her sleeves. Nevertheless she continued, her slender finger pointing at the enclosed envelope. "A copy of those videos is enclosed in there," she announced, "and I would hate to have to turn you over to such powerful groups for killing two of their associates without consent. And just because they messed with your little girlfriend? I think that will bring your reputation down a couple of notches and put her and her new lover in danger."

With the same graceful demure as she had entered his lair, the newest member of his clientele stood up, her long thin heels carefully strutting to the doorway. A plethora of emotions ranging from bewilderment to rancor gave his flaming eyes a particularly vengeful gleam, and an emotion that he detested more than anything surged through his every thought. Powerlessness.

"But I can keep my trap shut," she disclosed, a finger ghosting her scarlet pout, "just work with me. It's as simple as that."

AN: Thank you Lovee and smiley9316 for your reviews :)


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